This invention relates to a biodegradable, flushable, ostomy bag liner.
Ostomy bags for receiving bodily waste from colostomy or ileostomy patients are well known and a major problem with such bags is that it can be difficult to dispose of the used bag in a convenient and hygienic manner. Often, the contents of used bags are removed by cutting an edge of the bag and depositing the contents into a W.C. for flushing away, leaving the soiled bag for separate disposal, e.g. by incineration or by wrapping and placing in a waste bin. Disposal of a used bag and its contents in this way is clearly unhygienic and unpleasant for the user, and, in recognition of this problem, various proposals have been made for ostomy bags which can be flushed down a W.C.:--see for example GB-A-2083762, EP-A-0388924, GB-A-2227668, and GB-A-2193925. Many of the known types of disposable ostomy bag currently available suffer from certain drawbacks. Firstly, due to the buoyancy and relative bulk of the bags, it is often difficult to flush them down a W.C. Secondly, in order to ensure that the bag is sufficiently strong and waterproof to withstand the rigours of use, materials have been used which do not decompose readily, if at all, in the sewerage system, thereby giving rise to a pollution problem.
Our earlier Application WO-A-94/12128, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein, seeks to overcome such problems by providing a relatively tough, waterproof detachable outer bag, and a water-impermeable inner bag or liner, the inner bag serving to accommodate the bodily waste whilst the outer bag serves as a protective layer. The inner bag is made sufficiently water-impermeable to prevent leakage into the outer bag during a period of use but, because of the existence of the outer bag, need not be made of such durable material. Thus, it can be made of material which although water-impermeable over a short period, nonetheless gradually dissolves over a more extended period. The inner bag can therefore be made entirely biodegradable and is ideally suited for disposal by flushing down a W.C. The outer bag which is secured to the inner bag by means of a frangible or peelable connection is torn away from the inner bag after use and, since it is not soiled by the bodily waste, can be disposed of with other household refuse.